The January set menu is a deliciously great deal, but this Nikkei restaurant is worth savouring any time of the year
Chotte Matte has been a fixture on the corner of Frith Street for almost as long as I can remember. It has to be ten years or more. So familiar am I with it that I walk past without a glance now, but I do remember when it opened and how different and exciting the dishes and the ambience were.
Back then Soho was still largely a place of small restaurants and cafes, none of which could really be called class, although some of the Nouvelle Cuisine places could make a serious dent in your wallet. Chotto Matte with its size, sexy, low light, upmarket interiors and, at the time still fairly unknown, Japanese-Peruvian cuisine was a novelty.
It’s the kind of place that really comes alive at night, with a hedonistic vibe and all those sharing plates for couples and groups. We went in at lunchtime and it was quiet as sadly few people now working in London and not WFH dare lunch without the risk of HR making a negative note on their file. Eat your soggy sandwich and don’t dare leave your desk!
Well we’re old skool Soho and believe in lunch to break the day. So we sit down happily to try the January special sharing set menu.
First up – Sato Maki Sea bass, salmon tartare, romano pepper, Chotto soy. These look like the usual maki, very attractive, but a waitress turns up with a blowtorch. Does some plumbing need fixing? No, it’s to finish the dish, dramatically fusing the flavours and almost singeing my eyebrows.
It does add something special, but the maki are already delicious. Dunked in the soy they are packed with flavour from the fish as well as the sweet peppers. We fight over these while alternately scooping up guacamole using parmesan jumbo crackers.I don’t know where Parmesan comes in Peruvian/Japanese cuisine but they’re still good.
Sea Bass Ceviche Sea bass, leche de tigre, chive oil, sweet potato, Peruvian corn, coriander, and then yellowtail “Nikkei Sashimi”Cherry tomatoes, jalapeño, coriander, yuzu truffle soy all turn up along with Tuna Tataki – Seared tuna, karashi su miso, red jalapeño herb salsa. A real firework display of sharp flavours matched with smooth undertones. The fish is excellent, our only criticism is that the ceviche is a bit too citrussy.
Nikkei Gyoza – Pork and prawn dumplings, yuzu sweet potato purée on a red pepper ponzu are excellent. Slippery little fellows, they pop in the mouth to release a bang of flavour especially when coated with the puree.
And then Pollo Den Miso Chicken – carrot, daikon, yellow chilli yoghurt which uses chicken thighs for real flavour. The only really good thing to do with a chicken breast is make Chicken Keev (not Kiev) as it can be rather bland. Thigh meat grilled has plenty of taste anyway (and it’s cheaper) and the crisp daikon and lively yoghurt only made this better.
And for some bulk, Arroz Chaufa, which is basically egg fried rice, Peruvian vegetables and sesame soy. I love its perfect chewiness and egginess, I always like egg fried rice anyway but this is elevated way past high street standards. I happily hunt down every grain in the bowl.
And we finish with Kuro Goma Ice Cream Black sesame ice cream, toasted almond,
chocolate sauce. I love sesame in all its forms and it works extremely well as an icecream, the ‘nuttiness’ and slight astringency a perfect complement to the sauce.
Pressure of time has made this review almost ‘out of date’, but of course all these dishes are always available. There’s just time to still nab this bargain though, so hurry down.
11, 13 Frith St, London W1D 4RB
chotto-matte.com/london-soho/